Glad to hear, though, he’s strong enough to enjoy what he loves the most: his track time, and is riding well.

Czysz recalls the first trackday he rode just a week after being diagnosed with cancer. The storm of emotions had him considering cancelling his reservation, but he decided against it. With nothing more to lose, he credits this day at the track as “the single greatest trackday of my life. Bar none.” His inhibitions were free, released from having to maintain the small cushion in reserve he’d been so used to riding with. He felt more relaxed than ever on the bike, dropping two seconds off his personal best lap time. “It was a dramatic jump that day,” he says, “everything was so perfect. I slammed every apex and wheelied out of turns, leaned over. That’s what excites you. It was just amazing.”

Czysz continues, “And that was just from saying ‘So, I crash? What’s that going to do? It’s not going to hurt more than the cancer is hurting. It’s not going to shorten my life any. And if it does, what’s it going to shorten it by?’ That was an incredibly liberating experience.” An experience he credits as being one of the few positives to take away from his condition.